


Poker Night in the Miracle Box

by Word_Devourer



Series: Kwamis [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: #SaveNooroo, A good day to work on writing Kwamis, Gambling, Gen, Poker Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-04 18:56:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16352309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Word_Devourer/pseuds/Word_Devourer
Summary: Four fundamental forces decide to play some cards.  Only one leaves a winner, and since they all know who that will be, they might as well talk in the meantime.Let's face it, with a supervillain on the loose, and the odd hours their job makes them work, they deserve a break.





	Poker Night in the Miracle Box

**Author's Note:**

> Post-Sandboy, post-Sapotis.  
> Insert 'Dogs Playing Poker' reference here.  
> Mostly, this is an excuse to write some kwamis, because I so often forget about them when I'm writing about their wielders.

“Oh, cards!  It’s been so long since I played.  May I join?”

The three of them looked up at Tikki, who had just slipped over.

Plagg looked up, for the first time in a few minutes not wearing a scowl on his face.  He glanced from side to side, first at Trixx’s large pile of chips, then Wayzz’s smaller pile, and then down at his own tiny stack.

He slowly grinned.  “Ahh, why not, sit down!”

Trixx gave him a sidelong glare.  He shrugged, still grinning.

“I sure hope the rules haven’t changed!” she said.

“No.  No, I don’t think they have,” said Wayzz, the picture of restrained politeness.

A small pile of chips for Tikki, about the size of Wayzz’s.

The last round ended, the new round began.  Wayzz raked in a little pile.

And the game began.

“It has been a _long_ time since we last played each other,” said Wayzz.

“Suuure has,” said Trixx with a pointed glance at Tikki, who was smiling wide.

“Well, we’ve been separated for so long, of _course_ we haven’t played!  I call.”

“Not going to raise?” asked Trixx, “That’s what you usually do.”

“Nope!”

“I call too,” said Plagg, the grin growing no weaker at the annoyance on Trixx’s face.

Around once, twice more, until-

“Alriiight!” said Plagg, pulling in the pile.  “See, you’re a good luck charm.”

“I’m just saying,” he said, as Wayzz dealt out the next set of cards, “that’s been my biggest win of the game.”

“I believe it was only your second,” said Wayzz.

“Still, that’s a step up.”

“Sure,” said Trixx, “probably your last, though.  I’m gonna raise.”

Wayzz looked down at the stack, then at his own pile.

“Aw…  I fold,” said Tikki.

“I must as well,” said Wayzz, “I do not have enough for that sort of gamble.”

Plagg grinned at Trixx.  “Ah, come on.  We both know you’re bluffing.”  He pushed the remainer of his chips into the middle.  “All in.”

Trixx’s expression didn’t shift in the slightest.  For a long second, he stared at Plagg, then, his face twitched.  “I fold.”

“Papa’s getting a new cheese wheel _tonight!_ ”

“That is exceptionally embarrassing,” said Wayzz, gently, looking down.

“Besides, it’s fake money anyway,” said Trixx.

“Even if it _was_ real, we couldn’t spend it,” said Tikki, seemingly unperturbed by their lack of economic power.

“Far too dangerous, of course,” said Wayzz.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” said Plagg, rolling his eyes as he dealt out the last of the cards.

A few rounds around the circle, and then...

“So,” Wayzz began, “How has everyone been?  Tikki was quite correct, it’s been too long since we’ve seen each other.”

“Ever since Rena Rouge started doing hero work, I’ve been remembering how boring it gets in here when I have to come back.”

“Yeah, I bet,” said Plagg.

“Plagg!” said Tikki, looking affronted as she pulled in a small pile of chips.

“What, I’m agreeing!”

“It is at least peaceful,” said Wayzz.

“Yeah, which is good if you’re _you_.  You’re all about protection, so of _course_ nothing happening means a good time for you.”

“I thought you’d found plenty to do in here,” said Wayzz, “I’ve seen several of your creations.  Impressive, I must admit.”

“Yeah, illusory worlds, with nobody to get fooled by them.  What’s the point of a mirage if everyone sees right through it?”

“I’m certain I couldn’t say.”

“ _Especially_ when you just know they _would_ be fooled…  But what about you two?  Did you realize how boring it was once you’d left?”

“I thought it was boring already,” said Plagg.

“I like it here!” said Tikki, “I mean, I’m here with all my friends!  Why wouldn’t I be happy?”

“Not including your wielder in that?” asked Plagg.

“Of course I am, but I met her after I left.”  Tikki pulled in another small pile of chips.

“Naturally,” said Wayzz, “And speaking of…” he looked around and nodded, “we all know her, I suppose; Marinette.  How is the role of Ladybug treating her?”

“She’s one of the best I’ve ever had!” said Tikki, “even when she’s not using her Miraculous, I’m _worried_ that people will realize who she is, because she still acts like a hero.”

“A good problem to have,” said Wayzz.

“Yeah, she acts like you,” said Trixx, “if you’d grown up a bit.”

Tikki laughed, “Humans are like that.”

Wayzz nodded, slowly.  “They do tend to grow older.”

“That’s better,” said Trixx, raking in a large stack of chips, mostly Plagg’s.  “And speaking of better, A-hh my wielder, that is, _you_ don’t know who she is yet, do you.  Tikki does, but you two…”

“Master Fu keeps a close eye upon things,” said Wayzz, “and I have learned enough to guess who you were bestowed on.  Probably.”

“Yeah, I’ve got no idea,” said Plagg.

“Well, let me tell you,” said Trixx, “she’s got a good head for mirages, and she’s definitely the hero type.  The problem is, she’s almost _too_ heroic.”

“A good problem to have,” murmured Wayzz.

“Like, her whole _thing_ is telling the truth,” said Trixx, “I don’t want to work for a villain, but she could stand to have a bit more fun.”

“I think some of your past wielders might have had a bit _too much_ fun with things,” said Tikki, as Plagg took back most of the chips he’d just lost to Trixx.

Trixx shrugged.

“Well,” said Plagg, when nobody seemed about to say anything to him, “you should see mine.  He really _gets_ Chat Noir, as long as he’s in the suit.”  He sighed.  “As soon as he gets out of it, though- blech- he is the most _disgustingly_ romantic Chat Noir I’ve ever had to deal with. _‘I’m not hearthbroken, I’m just happy she’s my friend,’_ or _‘I don’t know who she is, but whoever she is, I love her.’_ It’s the most disgusting, soulmate-y, sugary…” He trailed off.  “And!” he said, “the only thing that’s worse is that he’s _right_ , even if he doesn’t realize it.  I swear to whatever that the next time he’s _sighing_ over Ladybug while she’s out of costume, and then _insists_ that he doesn’t like her, I’m gonna Cataclysm something.”

“Do not do that,” said Wayzz, pulling in a few chips.

“Yeah, yeah, no destroying the city, I know.  Oh, and don’t get me wrong, it gets boring when they don’t like the outfit, but have you _seen_ the bell this one put on his suit?”

“Probably just a sign of the changing times,” said Trixx, “now people wear black leather as superheroes.”

“ _Tight_ black leather,” said Plagg, grimacing.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence at that.

“Speaking of clothing; Tikki, considering what little I know of Marinette, it surprises me that her suit seems so simple.”

“She didn’t realize what was happening the first time she transformed,” said Tikki, “so her suit _is_ very simple.”

“I see,” said Wayzz, “and do you suppose she will change it soon?”

“She’s very close!” said Tikki, “she’s come so far, I think she’s almost ready for something new!”

“Hm,” said Wayzz, smiling gently, “a matter of day, or months?”

“I don’t know, but soon!” Tikki pulled in another small pile of chips.

Plagg frowned, clearly discontented over his wielder’s love of his _current_ outfit.

“So, Wayzz,” said Tikki, “have we learned anything new about Hawkmoth?”

“It has been difficult,” said Wayzz, “he has been very careful to avoid revealing his identity.  It is difficult to track down someone who never shows their face in public and only reveals themselves through their work.”

Plagg groaned.  “What a surprise, I know someone exactly like that.  He’s _awful_ , and the worst part is that Ad-“ he coughed, “my _wielder_ doesn’t even want to _hear_ about it.  I keep trying to explain that he’s one of the worst humans I’ve even met; the _boring_ kind of worst, too, but he won’t listen.”

“Sometimes humans enjoy believing in lies,” said Trixx, “trust me, I know.”

“Well, if he keeps believing _this_ one, he’s gonna get hurt,” muttered Plagg.

There was a moment of silence, and then Wayzz rose.  “Not my best game.  Do enjoy the remainder.”

“Oh, you’re out?” said Tikki, seemingly genuinely surprised, as Trixx pulled in the chips.

“Unfortunately,” he said, "I have been bankrupted."

\--

Wayzz slipped away from the circle.  They were just as her remembered them, all of them so…  themselves.

He supposed it was much the same for himself.  Kwamis, as a rule, changed slowly, if at all.  It would take something… Severe.  Something like what had happened to...  He paused, realizing where he had gone without thinking about it.

Nooroo’s space was empty, and while this place had no real temperatures, it felt cold, and empty.

Duusu was at least unaccounted for.  Wayzz could imagine that she was simply dormant, disconnected, but at least not in trouble.  Nooroo, meanwhile…

Wayzz felt like he was in a crypt.  Of course, Nooroo's corner of the Miracle Box had already been mostly empty; Nooroo had only rarely kept things for himself, usually only when someone else had given them to him.  Even so, what little there was had been left untouched for so long that it seemed only a shell of what it had been.

Wayzz let out a deep breath, and bowed his head as he slipped out.

Simply for his villainy, he would have done everything in his power to stop Hawkmoth, but the raw pain he had felt from Nooroo in that instant they’d all been connected… It meant that it was personal.  It meant, he realized, that he knew _why_ there was a growing desire to return to active service in his chest.

Of course, they couldn’t risk sending out more Miraculous than necessary, and certainly not permanently.  He knew that.  But he hoped that when they defeated Hawkmoth, he was there.

For what felt like a long time, he simply hovered there, his thoughts scattered, trying to chase a dozen strands at once.

Eventually, he inhaled and returned to himself.  For now, he couldn’t bring the future to him any faster than it was coming, so he should at least try to enjoy the present.  He turned back towards his friends.

As he approached, there was the tense silence of a game in process, and a quiet, "all in," from Trixx.

He turned a corner, and there they were.

 

A defeated sigh.  “And that's why it’s been so long since we’ve played cards,” said Trixx, as Plagg cackled, “every time I think I’m winning, you pull something like _that_.”

He floated over to where they were playing.

Trixx, almost annoyed, it seemed, had before him, a truly respectable straight.  Tikki, meanwhile…

“Last time, what, same pair of eights, but yours was the better suit?  Time before that, you managed to bluff me with a lone king!?”

“I thought it was a pair!”

“I had three of a kind!”

Wayzz looked down at Tikki’s straight, the exact same as Trixx’s, but one higher, and the pile of chips in front of her.

“You’ve just got to let it roll over you,” said Plagg still cackling maniacally, “not like you can stop it.”

“I see you have done what you always do,” said Wayzz.

Tikki didn’t seem to have a proper response, and just smiled proudly.

“You don’t even win that many hands!” said Trixx.

“You just don’t have chips after a few rounds,” said Plagg, half recovering himself.

“Exactly!”

“And _that_ is why we don’t bet on cards,” said Wayzz, gently, “do you have anything to say for your 12 th consecutive victory?”

“Sorry you’re not getting your new cheese, Plagg.”

“I am not sorry.  That was exceptionally embarrassing,” said Wayzz.

“Yeah, yeah.”

**Author's Note:**

> Plagg never did get that cheese wheel.  
> The real question, though: Is Tikki incredibly lucky, a master of the bluff, or both? Or maybe... just maybe, she's a skillful cheater.


End file.
